3 Generating methods

Tidal power can be classified into three generating methods:

Tidal stream generator

Tidal stream generators (or TSGs) make use of the kinetic energy of moving water to power turbines, in a similar way to wind turbines that use wind to power turbines.

Tidal barrage

Tidal barrages make use of the potential energy in the difference in height (or head) between high and low tides. Barrages are essentially dams across the full width of a tidal estuary.

Dynamic tidal power

Dynamic tidal power (or DTP) is a theoretical generation technology that would exploit an interaction between potential and kinetic energies in tidal flows. It proposes that very long dams (for example: 30–50 km length) be built from coasts straight out into the sea or ocean, without enclosing an area. Tidal phase differences are introduced across the dam, leading to a significant water-level differential in shallow coastal seas – featuring strong coast-parallel oscillating tidal currents such as found in the UK, China and Korea.

4 Us and canadian studies in the twentieth century

The first study of large scale tidal power plants was by the US Federal Power Commission in 1924 which would have been located if built in the northern border area of the US state of Maine and the south eastern border area of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, with various dams, powerhouses and ship locks enclosing the Bay of Fundy and Passamaquoddy Bay (note: see map in reference). Nothing came of the study and it is unknown whether Canada had been approached about the study by the US Federal Power Commission.

There was also a report on the international commission in April 1961 entitled " Investigation of the International Passamaquoddy Tidal Power Project" produced by both the US and Canadian Federal Governments. According to benefit to costs ratios, the project was beneficial to the US but not to Canada. A highway system along the top of the dams was envisioned as well.

A study was commissioned by the Canadian, Nova Scotian and New Brunswick Governments (Reassessment of Fundy Tidal Power) to determine the potential for tidal barrages at Chignecto Bay and Minas Basin – at the end of the Fundy Bay estuary. There were three sites determined to be financially feasible: Shepody Bay (1550 MW), Cumberline Basin (1085 MW) and Cobequid Bay (3800 MW). These were never built despite their apparent feasibility in 1977.

5 Kislaya guba tidal power station

Kislaya Guba (enclosure figure 1) is a fjord on the Kola Peninsula near Murmansk, Russia. The fjord is connected to the Barents Sea to the north and is primarily known as the site of the experimental tidal power project, Kislaya Guba Tidal Power Station.

The Kislaya Guba Tidal Power Station (enclosure figure 2) is an experimental project in Kislaya Guba, Russia. The station is the world's 4th largest tidal power plant with the output capacity of 1.7 MW. Construction on the project began in 1968, but was later suspended for 10 years until December 2004, when funding resumed. The site was originally chosen because the long and deep fjord had a fairly narrow outlet to the sea which could easily be dammed for the project. There are plans for two larger scale projects based on this design near Mezen, on the White Sea and Tugur on the Sea of Okhotsk.